Vapor phase corrosion inhibitor materials have been utilized in a variety of applications for protecting typically metal devices or components thereof from vapor phase corrosion thereof. Conventional corrosion inhibitor materials are typically specifically adapted to protect particular metals. Further, such conventional corrosion inhibitor materials find difficulty in being universally applied in both solid and aqueous form, with such conventional materials displaying certain drawbacks in such applications.
For example, conventional inhibitor materials typically do not provide multi-targeted corrosion protection in a single composition. Further, such materials tend to lack the capability of creating a corrosion barrier upon contact with the targeted surface. Since corrosion inhibitor materials are often times utilized in applications where environmental sensitivity is critical, it is an important feature of such materials to be environmentally friendly, and preferably substantially biodegradable. A particular example of such an application is in the corrosion protection of corrosion-susceptible components in hydrotesting fluid conduits such as petroleum pipelines.
For example, in 1995, the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) implemented the OSPAR Harmonized Offshore Chemical Notification format (HOCNF). Its primary function is to document and control the environmental properties of offshore chemicals. HOCNF documentation tracks chemical ingredients as well as toxicity, biodegradation and bioaccumulation testing data. SFT issues discharge permits. These permits enable the operating oil companies to change chemicals without additional permits provided that the environmental risks do not increase. These permits require the operator to gradually and systematically replace chemicals that have questionable environmental effects with less harmful products. All operators are held to the same strict discharge regulations.
The use of traditional petroleum oil based products and other hazardous chemicals has been under severe scrutiny. Oil based products not only pose hazards to the environment and the operators, but they also fail to perform well in applications such as hydrotesting. In addition many of these products are difficult to use and remove.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a water-soluble corrosion inhibitor composition that is substantially biodegradable, and is adapted to be effective in protecting a variety of corrosion-susceptible materials.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a water-soluble corrosion inhibitor composition which enables corrosion protection on contact with targeted surfaces of corrosion-susceptible materials.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a water-soluble corrosion inhibitor composition that is specifically adapted to be dissolved in water at a concentration of between about 0.25 percent and about 5 percent by weight without substantially altering the flowability characteristics of the water.